FINAL BLOG

http://infogr.am/If-My-Dog-Could-Speak/

In this infographic I added more statistics, and I also put the video on the infographic. I cited all the pictures in the video, and the two sites I used for the facts about pit bulls. My project is all about representation, and how these animals are misrepresented. Steve Bakers article called Animals, Representation, and Reality, talks about how people view animals. They often listen to what people say, until they have a one on one experience with one themselves. If someone sees a news article about a pit bull biting off someone’s fingers, and they have never been around a pit bull, they will most likely be scared of them. Many humans just listen to what they are told. Baker talks about how seeing animals in different environments can also change our view. If you see a pit bull playing with a baby, you may think he is sweet. If you see a pit bull tied to a chain in a yard, he may be barking and growling, and you would think he is mean and aggressive. What you may not know, is that he was barking to get your attention, because he has been out there for a week without any food or water. I care so much about how these animals are being represented because I have one, and I don’t like when parents don’t let their kids pet him because he is a “mean dog”. I had a woman at the vet tell me he was adorable, and when she asked what kind of dog he was, and I responded, she said “well he doesn’t act like a pit bull”. Some say ignorance is bliss, but this ignorance is killing thousands of dogs a year. Ignorance is banning this breed in cities, and states, all over the country. If people knew more about the topic, then maybe they would love to help. If it was a lab, or a poodle being treated this way I bet thousands of people would be willing to help. This infographic shows how misleading media is, and how pit bulls are actually nice, loyal dogs.

Works Cited

"ATTS Breed Statistics | American Temperament Test Society, Inc.." American Temperament Test Society, Inc. | A sound mind in a sound body. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2013. <http://atts.org/breed-statistics/statistics-page6/>.

Baker, Steve. "Animals, Representation, and reality." Guest Editor's Introduction 9 (2001): n. pag. Animal Society. Web. 25 Apr. 2013.

"Booman Tribune ~ A Progressive Community." Booman Tribune ~ A Progressive Community. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2013. <http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2008/9/4/131057/5736>.

"PIT BULLS RECENTLY SCORED ABOVE 121 OTHER BREEDS IN TERMS OF TEMPERAMENT. MAYBE THAT’S WHY THEY WERE AMERICA’S NANNY DOG. | Yonah Ward Grossman." YONAH WARD GROSSMAN. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2013. <http://www.ywgrossman.com/newblog/?p=408>.

Roberts, Michael. "Leaked: photos of pit bulls killed due to Denver ban - Denver - News - The Latest Word." The Denver Westword Blogs. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2013. <http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2009/10/leaked_photos_of_dead_pit_bull.php>.

"TheRightRant: Pit Bull body count goes up by 1." TheRightRant. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2013. <http://therightrant.blogspot.com/2012/01/pit-bull-body-count-goes-up-by-1.html>.

Watson, Jennifer. "Facts-About-Pit-Bulls." Pit Sisters.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2013. <http://www.pitsisters.org/Facts-About-Pit-Bulls.html>.

admin. "Why People Hate Pit Bulls | Defend Pit Bulls." Defend Pit Bulls. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2013. <http://defendpitbulls.com/why-people-hate/>.

Wallace on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/wallace.murray.10
That is the link to Wallace's facebook page I made for this project. I made this page so I can continuously teach people about Pi bulls. On his page you can click on quotes and see I incorporated a quote from Steve Bakers article Animals, Representation, and Reality. In the article he talks about animals talking, and sticking up for themselves.You will notice I talk about BSL on this page. BSL stands for Breed Restricted Legislation. This is a law banning dogs in certain states and cities. People feel very strong about getting this law banned. Some pets are like children to people. I don't know what I would do if I tried to move some where and couldn't bring my dog with me because he was banned in that area. In a link I posted on Wallace's wall, the web page states how many pit bull attacks there are compared to other things that hurt people, it is pretty comical. I hate that media is the reason my dog is looked down upon. I know he would save someone in danger, or hurt someone if they broke into my house. He is the perfect dog and no dog deserves to be put down because they look a certain way.

If My Dog Could Speak

It won't let me upload the infographic on here.. so here is the link to it
http://infogr.am/If-My-Dog-Could-Speak/
I was reading a lot about how animals are represented in media. I know the Infographic itself, doesn't have much to it, but the story from my dogs point of view is the big idea. Steve Bakers article called Animals, Representation, and Reality talk a lot about how animals are represented. He talks about how someone could take a picture of a wild animal, and show people and they would be amazed. If that same person takes a picture of a wild animal at a Zoo, it is not so amazing. We as human being think things when we see them because we were brought up that way. Baker also talks about how animals should have some kind of rights, and as people we are their voice. This is connected a lot to my topic of Pit bulls. They are banned in more cities than I can count all over this country. Over 200 of them are killed daily for no reason. Those numbers don't mean much to someone unless they own a pit bull. I could walk around a city with my dog, and he can be taken away from me and killed because I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. This is a great quote I come across a lot when I research pit bulls."In the ’70s they blamed Dobermans, in the ’80s they blamed German Shepherds, in the ’90s they blamed the Rottweiler. Now they blame the Pit Bull. When will they blame the humans?" I am not sure who said it, but they said it well. The media makes everyone believe these dogs are evil, but they aren't. Any dog can bite someone, and that dog shouldn't be punished. The owner should be punished. I have a pit bull and he wouldn't hurt a fly. Punish the deed not the breed!

Mini Project

I decided to do a photo essay. I'm not sure how long photo essays are because this is the first one I've ever done. It took me forever because Imovie is ridiculously hard to use. I wanted the viewer to get each side of pit bulls, and how people THINK they are, and how media portrays them. There were so many things I wanted to put into the video, and so much more text, but I decided it was a photo essay and shouldn't have to  much text. Maybe in my next mini project I can add more text. Overall I think it came out pretty good, and the song goes along perfect with the pictures and the point I was getting at.